1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reinforced structures. Specifically, it relates to a structurally reinforced transparent panel.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
At the present, most transparent bulletproof windows and walls are made of the multiple layers of two or more types of glass or plastic. Typically, the layers alternate between hard and soft. The hard layer prevents penetration, while the softer layer provides elasticity allowing the bulletproof glass to flex instead of shattering. Such structures are often constructed by sandwiching layers of polycarbonates or thermoplastics between layers of glass.
An example of a bulletproof glass comprising a plurality of silicate glass sheets interconnected by thermoplastic intermediate layers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,170. Another example of a multi-layer bulletproof glass comprising several laminated glass panes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,100. Yet another variation of a multi-layer bulletproof glass comprising alternating sheets of acrylic glass and non-external multi-layered plastics film is disclosed in a European Patent No. 0807797. It has been shown that such structures can withstand the impact of the small armor-like guns and even the impact of the standard military light personal weapon from a certain distance. Yet, the hardness and antiballistic properties of such bulletproof glass are limited by a number of factors, the most significant of which is the hardness of the glass. Furthermore, transparency often becomes an issue, especially as the thickness of the glass is increased.
Accordingly, what is needed is an optically transparent panel reinforced with high-strength non-transparent materials, where the transparency is not reduced by increasing the thickness of the bulletproof structure.